The raunchy adaptation of erotic novel Fanny Hill has given BBC Four its biggest ever audience.

The first episode in the two-part adaptation took the digital channel over the million viewer mark for the first time.

The period drama attracted an average of 1.1 million viewers and a 5.3% share of the viewing public at 2100.

It beat the channel's previous best, January 2004's Alan Clark Diaries, which was seen by 889,000 people.

Fanny Hill was adapted for TV by Andrew Davies, the Bafta-winning dramatist of Bleak House and Pride and Prejudice.

'Fabulous cast'

Don Cameron, head of planning and scheduling at BBC Four, said: "The drama has a fabulous cast and has been brilliantly adapted by Andrew Davies."

"This all adds up to making it our most-watched programme and our third best night ever."

Written by John Cleland, the book about a country girl who finds sexual fulfilment through a life of debauchery and promiscuity, was banned in Britain for more than 200 years because of its sexual content.

Within the first 10 minutes of the drama, Fanny, played by Rebecca Night, is seen being seduced by a woman in a brothel.

The second and final episode of the adaptation will be shown on Monday 29 October at 2100 GMT.